Chain Tightness

[busanewb]

Here's my 2015 hayabusa.

I recently put a dme swing arm with 4 to 8 inches of stretch on it and was worried about the chain tightness. I think I may have over tightened it. The way it sits in the picture it had just about an inch of slack, but I never measured the slack while sitting on it with my full weight on it.

I purposely left it a bit tight thinking it's a new chain and it will stretch but from what I've been reading chains don't really stretch just wear. So my main concern is if I did damage to my chain, sprockets, or outputshaft. The chain did seem a bit worried on the rollers (doesn't have the machining marks, they are just worn smooth).

4 hard full speed pulls were done in that ride, and everything seems fine, but I've read on here bending an output shaft or wearing out the bearing isn't too hard with an over tightened chain.

Any help or opinions are appreciated.

 

[nosbig]

You say an inch of slack. Is that from pushing it all the way up and pulling it all the way down? I'm not sure how much difference the stretch will make, but I have almost a 1 1/2 of slack in mine on its side stand and that is at stock length.

 

[busanewb]

I can go up one inch and I can go down one inch

 

[13013]

The manual says the slack should be set between 0.8" (20mm) to 1.2" (30mm).

that's up distance + down distance combined.

 

[busanewb]

My only issue is that's with the stock swing arm that has a pivot tensioner towards the front of the arm built in. The dme arm is straight and doesn't have it built.

 

[piratediverjefff]

I had a 6" over on my turbo bike and am 4" over on my current Busa.With the bike off the lift or stand I've always kept my slack around 1.25"(better to be slightly loose than too tight).Your weight,length over stock,etc. may also come into play,I'm about 235 lbs. so err a little on the loose side(I've seen Pro Street bikes with so much slack[because of swingarm length]it's a wonder the chain doesn't fly right off).If you feel it's too tight and haven't already done so I'd back it off a little.

 

[13013]

From your previous post's. I'd say you need to go even tighter. Regardless if it has pivot tensioner or not, the same specs will apply.

 

[busanewb]

Okay so some say to go tighter, some say looser.

I ended up lowering it more and putting about .25" more of slack.

I mainly worried about the damage I could of done to the output shaft since I put a decent amount of mileage on it. One thing I do remember was the chain seemed noiser. Now this was a new chain and the first time I've had an aluminum sprocket and riding a stretched bike, so that might be the noise I was hearing...

 

[13013]

nosbig, PDJ & myself have all suggested you tighten. nosbig @ 1.5", PDJ @ 1.25", mine is 1.25" also. Yours is 2". Do as you wish. But you are out of spec by 66%. (Based off the 1.2" manual spec) I have not ridden a stretched bike so I cannot speak to increased noise. But obviously a loose chain will be louder. I have run several aluminum sprockets with no added noise.

 

[piratediverjefff]

Okay so some say to go tighter, some say looser.

I ended up lowering it more and putting about .25" more of slack.

I mainly worried about the damage I could of done to the output shaft since I put a decent amount of mileage on it. One thing I do remember was the chain seemed noiser. Now this was a new chain and the first time I've had an aluminum sprocket and riding a stretched bike, so that might be the noise I was hearing...

You're probably ok bro.I've never noticed any more noise from being stretched or from running aluminum sprockets(have been running Vortex Cat 5's for years now),though with my obnoxious Brocks Short Meg I doubt I'd hear it anyway.

 

[Tb3]

When I converted my Indian to chain drive from belt drive it was the first time I realised how loud chains are. Before that I never really paid it any mind.
And when I switched from a oring chain to a x-ring chain on the same bike, I was amazed at the differance in how much quieter the x ring was.
This is probably irrelevant info to the op, but I'm abit bored at the moment, lol. Just making conversation, lol

 

[nosbig]

Get someone to measure the slack with your weight on the bike. As long as you have at least an inch (1 1/4 would be better) you are ok.

 

[busanewb]

Thanks tall for the input. I tightened up back up. Had the same chain noise when it was looser so I'm assuming I'm just now noticing the chain makes noise since it was something I modified and I was paranoid.

 

[BA BUSA]

With your weight on the bike.... .8"-1.2" total up and down.

 

[13013]

Glad you got it. Ride safe and confident. It's done right.

 

[busanewb]

Is that amount of slack suppose to be with the weight of the rider or while on a stand?

 

[13013]

Rider

 

[busanewb]

So that's where my issue comes in. I definitely did not have that much play in the chain with me on it. Likely hood of damaging output shafts or bearings?

 

[dave s]

I set it between 30 -35 mm up down movement on side stand to allow for rider weight, 1st chain lasted 20 thousand miles +.

 

[busanewb]

I probably had about 3/4 of an inch of play at full swing arm extension. I know that's way too tight. I'm seriously concerned that I did some damage in the transmission with the output shafts or the output shafts bearing. It seems to ride fine but I didn't know if there were any ways to really check.